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From a Golden Age: The Invaders Appreciation 2019

The Invaders were created by Roy Thomas, out of his love for the Golden Age era characters. They first appeared in Avengers 71, cover date December 1969, though they weren't called Invaders, and they only consisted of Namor the Sub-Mariner, The Original Human Torch and Captain America. But Roy did have Jim Hammond yell their battle cry "Okay Axis, Here We Come!" in this issue when they fought Yellow Jacket, Black Panther, and Vision as champions in a cosmic contest between Kang and the Grandmaster.

The Invaders sort of appeared again in Avengers 97, cover date March 1972, as heroes "summoned" by Rick Jones during the Kree-Skrull War.

They finally appeared as a team named Invaders in an origin story that appeared in Giant Sized Invaders 1, cover date June 1975, with art by Frank Robbins, inked by Vinnie Colleta. And while Churchill gives them their name in the story, according to Roy Thomas' Recollection page in Giant Sized Avengers 1:

And thus was started the Invaders first ongoing, which ran for 41 issues, an Annual and this Giant Sized issue.

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First posts were written by Rheged and are from the previous appreciation thread, which can be found here:

The Invaders were created by Roy Thomas, out of his love for the Golden Age era characters. They first appeared in Avengers 71, cover date December 1969, though they weren't called Invaders, and they only consisted of Namor the Sub-Mariner, The Original Human Torch and Captain America. But Roy did have Jim Hammond yell their battle cry "Okay Axis, Here We Come!" in this issue when they fought Yellow Jacket, Black Panther, and Vision as champions in a cosmic contest between Kang and the Grandmaster.

. . .

Back in the previous version of this appreciation thread, I did a comparison between their appearance in Avengers #71 and re-telling of that meeting that Roy Thomas later gave us in The Invaders Annual #1 (for anybody interested).

It starts with this post:

Originally Posted by MajorHoy

Part of the story in Invaders Annual #1 (1977) dealt with another look at events in Avengers #71 (December 1969) which was a bit of a genesis for an Invaders series a few years later.

So that's the Heap? Always wondered who that was. The original Man-Thing apparently. I want to see a return of the Liberty Legion as well. I remember the classic Invaders vs Liberty Legion fight at Yankee Stadium.

Back in the previous version of this appreciation thread, I did a comparison between their appearance in Avengers #71 and re-telling of that meeting that Roy Thomas later gave us in The Invaders Annual #1 (for anybody interested).

I remember that! Oddly, I did enjoy seeing that Invaders. I say oddly, because I didn't care for Bendis doing it in Secret Invasion. Of course, he did so many, many, many times in multiple tie-ins, that I felt I was getting ripped off. ;p

Originally Posted by MajorHoy

That "appearance" was foreshadowed by something that happened in Avengers #92 a few issues earlier.

Here are the pages of interest, though, starting with the page from issue #92 (cover-dated September 1971).

I need to cut out that third panel in the first page. That was me as a kid.

It is kind of funny to see Rick Jones going on about the 'gray' of characters waaaaay back then and compare it to characters of today.

I also how Roy Thomas is again distinguishing that the Golden Age comics aren't 'Realies' but stories about _some_ real characters in the MU.

Looking at the old thread and trying to do some updating on this one, it occurs to me Marvel HAS tried to make the Invaders a success. Why hasn't that worked since the original? Arguably, the original probably wasn't considered a success in its time, as 41 issues back then wasn't huge, spin off numbers. But here's the list, if I haven't left anything off. Stuff without issues were set up to be mini-series.

Is what Rick Jones said in those Avengers scans true? The Invaders stories belong to a simpler age? I think most post original runs have tried to make them grittier, and more serious, instead of simply heroic. Or tried to update them.

I don't think Marvel has stinted on the creators. And with the exception of the New Invaders team, I don't recall alot of fan 'dislike' of the work.

Both All New and New Invaders tried to update and set up the Invaders in the present.

I think the first Cap movie worked well, and did well. Is that the route Invaders need to take?

Which of these runs, original excluded, was the most successful for you personally?

. . . Is what Rick Jones said in those Avengers scans? The Invaders stories belong to a simpler age? I think most post original runs have tried to make them grittier, and more serious, instead of simply heroic. Or tried to update them.

The morals/ the "clear-cut" good vs. bad ideas were from a simpler age. But I think the overall actions of the characters were frequently more violent and less-forgiving than they would later be portrayed as.

The morals/ the "clear-cut" good vs. bad ideas were from a simpler age. But I think the overall actions of the characters were frequently more violent and less-forgiving than they would later be portrayed as.

Yes, because back in the 70s and even more in the 40s there were different values. Plus, the characters were hot headed and young.

I guess, I'm just wondering, how to translate the appeal of the first Cap movie into an Invaders book? Or even if that is a good way to make for a successful Invaders book? Should it go more in the Saving Private Ryan route?

Looking at the old thread and trying to do some updating on this one, it occurs to me Marvel HAS tried to make the Invaders a success. Why hasn't that worked since the original? Arguably, the original probably wasn't considered a success in its time, as 41 issues back then wasn't huge, spin off numbers. But here's the list, if I haven't left anything off. Stuff without issues were set up to be mini-series.

Is what Rick Jones said in those Avengers scans true? The Invaders stories belong to a simpler age? I think most post original runs have tried to make them grittier, and more serious, instead of simply heroic. Or tried to update them.

I don't think Marvel has stinted on the creators. And with the exception of the New Invaders team, I don't recall alot of fan 'dislike' of the work.

Both All New and New Invaders tried to update and set up the Invaders in the present.

I think the first Cap movie worked well, and did well. Is that the route Invaders need to take?

Which of these runs, original excluded, was the most successful for you personally?

Since the original is excluded, I'll choose the 3-issues from Marvel Universe (1998). One of my favorite hidden treasures.